Flexible pipe coupling



W. S. DRlN KWATER FLEXIBLE PIPE COUPLING Filed Feb. 14, 1945 Patented Mar. 9,1948

TENT

irmxmmnra COUPLING Y Drinkwater, Chicago, 111., assignor h-y :mesnezusignments, to yDrin'kwater, Inc., Wau:

skenmslll acorporation of Illinois lllill ?M 11761111131175"14, 1945, Serial No."57'l,79.7

'72C1aims. (01. 285-194) My; invention relates; to a pipe coupling and has particular reterencewq a device for coupling together the free'ends-ot pipeiused mr conveying fluid from one locality-toanother:

Another object- "of my invention the provision of -a pipe coupling; device consisting of a plurality of -elements==which are "connected tog'ether 1 in suehmanner that when the device is to be assembled andmpplied to the ends of pipe the operator 1 is I certain-i to have ell of the parts necessary, an'd whichcan be easily andquickly applied to pipe, insuringa non leakable connection between the pipes. I

Another and further object ofsmy invention is the provision ofea pipe couplingwwhichcan be easily andquickly assembled arotmdithe ends of adj acent sections 'ofii'pipe and put iniposition in the field without: the use bi -tools, and in it which the operator can-take a number ot: the devices and carry ordrag'them to 'the points indicated and: quickly-apply them: to=-pipes',-- assuming that the pipes have been previouslyx-laidc-or' in operations where theupipesiare being-assembled and connections-madezquickly-withoutrthe useroftools of any; kind or through thesusez'ofianyconvenient piececof woodiaorthe ilike whichrmay be used for driving the key into position;

1 Another and :fnrther object-10f rmy invention is the. provisiomoi; aapipezcouplmg which is flexiblein its useandibmmeanssioifwhich pipes can. be connected togetherrwhen ahasslight angle-to each otherzwithoutfieakingrand tie-which" quick application of: the devi'cescan 'zbe: made to v pipes tolinsure a continuouscenduiti-whereneededfor the transpor-tinswfiloilgfwvatemmtherlike.

:Another' and further-2 object; of: niyrinvention isithevprovision'sofg acoupliugrinwhiclran; elastic sealing member-is'iixed'tcx the-unitszzim such mannet that inthe: applyingxoi thezadevicetm pipe. and making a, coupling ai-"sealtis; formed-which may conform to. slight; irregularities-rim :the:;.material of'which: thelzpipe'zsls composedaand? yet provide a liquid-prooixseai i. for: connecting: the :pipes together; .particulamlyi for hurried. amliquicknas well temporaryyopemtionse 0111;: :desi-red,; once; in

position: the qdevi'cermouidese e: its: purpose; for

anindeterm-inatelength of-:-time;

These androthenobiectsr ot-emy; inven ion will be; more fully andrbetteraunderstoodsby reference to:.thesiaccompanyingedrawings, land in which- Eigure' Isiszan; enmeleyationalrviewrof my improved pipecoupling-with arplpe ,shownzinsection;

Figure, *2. ism; sideelerational view ofithedevice shown inifiigrh; I o fi ure;- 351s; anon planawiewsolzthmdevicel Figure 4 is a transverse==seetional view-on-lines 4-4 of-Fig.'3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional v'iew on lines 5-- 5 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken on lines 6-6'of Fig.-3.

Referring now particularlyto the drawings, and

in which like:reference-characters reierto like parts throughout,-a-1ower segmental member is shown-having ears= H and I I integrally formed therewith and extending upwardly therefrom, the ears I I and- I2 having zslots I13==arid1t therein for purposes hereinafter'described; The: member Ill has an arcuatecentral portionzwithzlongitudinally extending shoulders l 5 a'nd iii-formedthereon and has a pluralityofarcuateshaped channels I! at each end thereof within which arcuate portions l8 andl9of. aasealingsmemloer are: adapted to fit, with fiangestzllaand 2 theing; provided which connect the arcuate portions laz an'd'lzil at" each of their ends andextend: outwardtherefromand rest upon the shoulderrportionsz t5zand lziiof-the member Hi. Thesemhannels; I11 are: deepest ad,- J'acent the shoulders;l5=rand l kandwtaper. out at 5 the bottom otthemember I0; .Alwebizz connects the arcuate portions: I &-;and l 9;; at their central portions with a rivet 23:bei-ng,proviided1 which ex.- tends throughthe webyH-and the member is, thereby holding the entire seeding memberloosely in position within theme-mental member Ml.

An upper segmental: member M isprov-ided having an arcuate; surface jthereirrwith cars 26, 2e formedo'ateachwoflthe four corners thereof with channelsnfl formed ,by these earqportions within which the: ears lvlianid, 1-2 formed upon the lower segmentalimember; lflzextendlwith; a sealin member fixed thereificqmprising-arcuate portions 28 and 29 which areconnectedeby:flangesw30 -and 3| which are fitted-in face to face relation with thefianges 20-;and-2 l-, thereby forming: aseal at each side of these members and alongsidethe ends of the pipe sections when the device is clamped firmly around the pipe: sections-:32; and 334 Recesses 34 and 35 are iormedrin the segmental member 24, these recesses-tapering;out-towards the center ofthearcuate surface: oilt'helmemher 24. A web1-3fiis provided whichconnectsthe arcuate portions :28 ia-nd 2 9 of thei sealing member with a rivet 31 extending; therethrough, -which normally holds the sealing member inloose position in the upper segmental member; 24in-position to be quickly affixed around the ends oiiadiacent pipe sections I 32 and 33 as, shown particularly in Fig, 4. A=key 381 is aprovided -which, when the device isin assemb1ed=relation,;is{insertedthrough clamping sections, one of said clamping sections having ears with openings therein, between which ears the other clamping member extends, a key adapted to extend through the openings in the said ears, and a flexible member secured to one of the clamping sections and movably connected with the other clamping section and the key.

2. In a pipe coupling the combination of cooperating clamping sections interfitted with each other, sealing members secured to each of said clamping sections, one of said clamping sections a hole 42 with a member 43 secured to the outer end of the cable which forms a convenient means for an operator to grasp the cable andwhich in effect insures that all of the elements forming the combination necessary to secure the pipe together are on a unit and that both for shipping purposes and for purposes of use in the fieldinsures that the operator has all of the parts necessary to make a quick coupling and that none of the parts will be lost or misplaced. When the parts are in dissembled relation they are in effect all carried upon the cable 40, and an operator can, by grasping the handle 43,, carry several of these couplings or can drag them along the ground while engaged in coupling together the pipe sections or they'can be rapidly distributed to the designated 'places and quickly and easily applied to the pipe sections. It will be understood, of course, that any flexible member such as a chain can be substituted for the cable 40 as shown and perform the same function.

The operation and use of the device will be more quickly and readily understood by those skilled in the art in that when it is desired to connect the adjacent ends of pipes or pipe sections the coupling, which for purposes of illustration will be assumed to be in dissembled relation, is placed around the ends of the pipes particularly as shown in Fig. 4 by placing the lower segmental member on the underside of each of the pipe ends and spanning the space therebetween, dropping the top segmental member 24 down into position between the ears II and I 2 and inserting the key 38 into position in the slots I3 and i4, and if necessary, driving the key 38 into position by means of a hammer, block of wood, or it can be driven in sufiiciently firm by means of a kick directed against the end of the key 38 with a heavy shoe which puts sufiioient pressure upon the two segmental members to cause the sealing members to firml adjust themselves around the outer surface of the adj a cent ends of the pipe. Because of the shape of the arcuate channels in the upper and lower members the initial pressure is exerted centrally on the sealing members and in effect the sealing member, which is preferably made of rubber or some flexible composition assumes a tight sealing relation with respect to the coupling members and around the ends of the pipe, thus ,effectively providing a quick and effective means of coupling the pipes together.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a pipe coupling the combination of 00- operating clamping sections interfitted with each other, sealin members secured to each of said having ears with openings therein, between which ears the other clamping member extends, a key .adapted to extend; through the openings in the said earsand a flexible member secured at one of its ends to one-of the clamping sections and extending loosely. through openings in the other clamping section and the key member.

8. In apipe coupling the combination of 00- operating clamping sections interfitted with each other,-sealing members secured to each of said clamping sections, one of said clamping sections having ears with ope in s therein, between which ears the other clamping member extends, a key adapted to extend through the openings in the said ears, and a flexible member secured at one of its ends to one ofthe, clamping sections and extending loosely through openings in the other clamping section and the key member, and a hand hold member secured to the free end of said flexible member whereby the clamping section through the flexible member extends and the key members are held in loose position on the said flexible member.

4.. In a pipe coupling the combination of two co-operating clamping sections interfltted with each other, sealing members secured to each of said clamping sections, one of said sections having ears with openings therein, a key fitted into the openings having an opening in one end thereof and spanning the space between the said ears, an eyelet in one of said clamping sections, a flexible member secured to'the other clamping section and threaded through the eyelet on the other section and through the opening in the end of the key member, and a hand piece on the free end of said flexible member.

5. In a pipe coupling the combination of cooperating -segmental clamping members interfltted with each other; one of said clamping members having ears .thereon with openings therein, a key adapted to' span the space between the ears on one of said clamping members, sealing members mounted in each of said clamping members, each sealing member consisting of spaced arcuatei portions connected by a flange at each of their .ends'and'a .web portion connecting the arcuate 'shaped portions intermediate their ends, and a fastening member securing the said web portion to the clamping member.

6. In a pipe coupling the combination of cooperating segmental clamping members interiitted with each other, one of said clamping members having ears thereon with openings therein, a key adapted to span the space between the ears on one of saidclamping members, sealing members mounted in-eac'h of said clamping members, each sealing member consisting of spaced arcuate portions connected by'a'flange at each of their ends and a web portion" connecting the arcuate shaped portionsintermediate their ends, and a fastening member securing the said web portions at their centers to the clamping member.

7. In a pip coupling the combination of 00-- operating segmental clamping. members interfitted with each other, one of said clamping members having ears thereon with openings therein, a key adapted to span the space between the ears on one of said clamping members, sealing members mounted in each of said clamping members, each sealing member consisting of spaced arcuate portions connected by a flange at each of their ends and a web portion connecting the arcuate shaped portions intermediate their ends, and a stud extending through the web portion oi. the 10 sealing member and through the adjacent clamping member, whereby the said sealing members are secured to the clamping members at one point only.

WILLIAM S. DRINKWATER,

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,377,510 Newell June 5,1945 1,628,132 Earnstrom May 10, 1927 1,641,839 Cain Sept. 6, 1927 1,590,908 Riles June 29, 1926 2,036,320 Connelly Apr. 7, 1936 

